New Girl or Old Friend?
by Raven-Firedawn
Summary: A new girl arrives from Spike's distant past. She's changed, and how is she still alive?
1. Hello again

Spike wandered the streets aimlessly. The Slayer was on patrol and in one of her moods. She wanted nothing more than to stake any vamp in sight whether friend or foe, and since he really didn't want to be dusted, he stayed in another part of the city while wandering. The chip had long since stopped working, but the Scooby gang didn't really need to know that. He wouldn't admit it, but he didn't mind helping them out. They provided companionship and entertainment that was missing when he was alone.  
  
Continuing to walk along the street, Spike wondered whether he should hunt someone on the streets or go into a nightclub he knew of in this area and pick up a girl there. Coming upon the club he made his decision and walked in. The bouncer nodded at him as he walked by; Spike was a regular here. Someone was watching him from the shadows of a dark corner, but if he realized it as he walked to the bar, he gave no sign. The raven-haired girl that was following his movements motioned to a waiter.  
  
"See that guy at the bar?" She asked him pointing.  
  
"The one with the bad dye job? Yeah, what about him?" The waiter replied insolently.  
  
"Here's twenty bucks, make sure everything he orders is put on my tab." The waiter looked at the twenty in his hand, then at the girl.  
  
"Is there anything else you need, drink, napkins?"  
  
"No, that will be all. Thank you." She waved her hand at the boy, dismissing him, and continued her scrutiny of the stranger at the bar.  
  
When Spike finished his drink and went to pay the bartender, the waiter caught his arm.  
  
"You don't have to worry about the bill dude, your lady friend already took care of it." Spike looked at the boy.  
  
"My lady friend?" The waiter pointed to a back corner that was hidden in the shadows.  
  
"That chick over there? The one with the long black hair? She told me she would pay your tab."  
  
Spike weaved through a group of dancing teens and made his way to the corner, eyes adjusting quickly to the darkness. When he got to her table he looked into her eyes and got lost in the shining emeralds that stared back at him. After a few seconds he shook himself out of his near trance and sat down. Amusement flickered in her eyes and stood out in the slight smirk of her lip.  
  
"Get lost there for a second?" The laughter was evident in her voice. Spike studied her face, trying to place where he knew her from. She leaned back against the wall, relaxed yet alert as he tried to remember. He knew her voice, deep and musical, always ready to laugh, but her face was a mystery.   
  
"Do I know you?" He asked, still slightly dazed. Then she did laugh, not mockingly, just for the pure joy of it. When she caught her breath she grinned at him.  
  
"Once upon a time, a long time ago...you were younger then." She paused as if she had been about to say more, but had thought better of it. Spike opened his senses looking for the clue that would reveal her nature, a small difference in scent that would identify her as another vampire or a demon, a feeling of warning that would accompany danger. Focusing on her he was overwhelmed by a feeling of timelessness; her scent was that of the seasons, the sharp newness of spring, the heat and strength of summer, the teasing warmth of fall, and the cool distance of winter. His reverie was interrupted by her laughter. "That wasn't the best of ideas, now was it?" Her jewel-like green eyes twinkled once more.  
  
"Who are you?" Spike's voice was soft with amazement. The sheer power of her prescence was now almost overpowering, yet like nothing he had ever felt before. She smiled.  
  
"Once I was a friend, before time and circumstances got in the way. I'd like to be one again if that's alright with you...William." Spike met her eyes, startled to hear his old name spoken in this place, this time. She raised an eyebrow at his reaction. "I dare say you've been too long without a friend, if you jump at your own name." Spike winced at the recollections that name brought about.  
  
"I don't go by that name anymore. Too many bad memories attached, and not enough good ones to make it worth my while to hold on to. My name is Spike." She nodded knowingly, as if agreeing with the aptness of the name.   
  
"It suits you. I always thought that William was a bit stuffy anyhow. And you were anything but." The seriousness of the conversation lost as if it had never been, she grinned. "Would you like to dance?" Spike, once again stunned by her change in pace, just stared in bewilderment.  
  
"Dance?" Her grin lit up her eyes as she waved a hand motioning to the teens entwined on the dance floor.   
  
"Yes, dance. You know, two people moving together in time to something called music? You used to be good at it a long time ago. You haven't lost your touch have you?" Eyes challenging him mockingly she slid out of the booth gracefully like a cat. Standing she held out a hand to him. Spike sat for a moment, just staring up at her. Rolling her eyes impatiently she grabbed his arm and yanked him out of his seat, pulling him against her. Spike smirked.  
  
"Exactly what kind of dancing did you have in mind?" Her cheeks flushed pink before she smiled up at him slyly. Pressing herself up against him suggestively, she spoke in an offhand tone.  
  
"Why don't we just try dancing here and see what happens later, after all they might kick us out if we start dancing like that in here. Though the others would definitely learn some things." She slid away from him and wove her way to the center of the dance floor still grinning.  
  
Spike stood and watched as she slid between the other dancers like water and made her way to an empty space in the center of the floor. She smiled at him tauntingly then turned her back on him and proceeded to dance by herself. The song that had been on reached its end and Sting's Desert Rose filled the air. Moving closer to get a better view he leaned against a pillar and stared at the dark form that danced in front of him. For the first time, Spike noticed what she was wearing...an off the shoulder black dress that hugged her curves like second skin with a material that made her look like a living shadow. Spike smirked as he saw the effect her motions were having on the other males in the room. Most of them were staring if not open mouthed drooling. He chuckled to himself as a few tried to join her in her movements. She smoothly stepped away from them and made it look as if it was all part of her dance. Not that they minded or noticed her rebuffs.   
  
She moved closer to him without seeming to be purposefully doing so, then executed a spin that flared the bottom of her dress out to circle her legs. The movement drew his eyes down to her legs and she smiled. She knew he was watching and paying close attention to every move she made. Raising her arms above her head she dipped and turned her hips in such a way that his lips parted and his breathing became ragged. Only then did she turn to see his expression. His eyes had darkened and paused a moment before meeting hers. She grinned and raised an eyebrow. "You coming?" She whispered, pitching her voice so only he would hear, then spun away before he had a chance to answer.  
  
He pushed himself off the pillar and moved until he was directly behind her, then slipped his arms around her waist, placing his hands on her hips and pulled her against him. She dipped her hips once more, causing delicious friction under his hands. 'Velvet,' he thought, 'she's wearing black velvet.' As if to add irony to his thoughts, that song ended and Black Velvet by Alannah Myles came on. The girl tilted her head to the side to glance back at him, unknowingly exposing her neck to his gaze.   
  
"And here I thought I was going to be dancing out here by myself forever." The girl's low voice and exposed neck made Spike stifle a groan and bury his face in her hair. She chuckled and reached her arms back linking her hands around his neck holding him close. Swaying to the beat she started to sing to the song, her low voice sounding almost like velvet itself. Spike did groan then his hands gripping her hips tightly. The scent of her had changed to something warm and smooth...vanilla or jasmine...whatever it was he couldn't tell, but it was heady with its potency.   
  
Leaning his head closer to her ear Spike whispered, "If torture was what you had in mind luv, it's working." She turned in his grip so she was facing him then cocked her head to the side.  
  
"You still don't remember me do you?" The puzzlement was clear on her face. Spike wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into an embrace.   
  
"Believe me, luv, it's not for lack of trying. And I'd have to be in pretty dire straights to forget someone like you." Running a hand over her hair he murmured. "Pretty dire straights,"  
  
She smiled. "It'll come back to you eventually." She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. "I'd forgotten how good it felt to be in your arms." He held her closer and was surprised at the strong urge that came over him to protect her no matter what. He looked down at the sight of her nestled in his arms and shrugged mentally. 'I'll worry about it later,' he thought. The music continued, changing songs as time passed. Neither noticed until someone tapped Spike on the shoulder. They both looked up to see the waiter from earlier.   
  
"Sorry to interrupt you two...but," He gestured around to the now almost empty club. "It's getting late and we're about to close." Spike nodded and thanked the boy, slipping him a twenty as he walked away. They walked outside, with their arms still wrapped around each other's waists.  
  
Once outside, Spike turned to her. "Where do you live? I'll walk you home." She smiled.  
  
"Ever the gentleman. But this time, there's no need." She gestured to a motorcycle that was one of the last remaining vehicles in the club's small parking lot. "I can drive myself, but thank you for the offer." She smiled wistfully, then linked her arms around his neck once more. "Are you going to kiss me good night? Even though you don't remember me?" Spike smirked.   
  
"Well I don't know..." She made an offended face and was playfully struggling to get out of his arms when his lips met hers. He kissed her tenderly until her lips parted underneath his, then broke away. Her eyes were half closed in pleasure and she was panting for breath. She took a step away from him and he caught her as she stumbled. She grinned.  
  
"You always did make me go weak in the knees." She laughed then walked away steadily. Mounting her bike, she put the helmet on and drove away without looking back. 


	2. Dreams or Memories?

Following her as she lead into the forest, he smiled to see her spinning in circles as she waited for him to catch up. Her hood had slipped off and the moonlight was glowing off her hair making it look the color of red wine. Just as intoxicating too, he thought to himself wryly. She could be a wood nymph the way she's acting tonight.  
  
She turned to grin at him. "Coming?" Grabbing his hand she dragged him through a seemingly solid mass of intertwined branches. "They're waiting for us! I told them I was bringing you tonight!" Her emerald eyes danced with child-like enthusiasm.   
  
He struggled to voice his doubts against the happiness she was radiating. "Who are these friends of yours that we can only meet at night? Wouldn't it be safer during the day? I'm only worried about your safety you understand..." His complaints were silenced by her fingers pressed against his lips.   
  
"I told you, we're perfectly safe. My friends are..." she paused as she searched for an appropriate word,"...busy during the day. Once you meet them you'll understand. Trust me in this. Please?" Her eyes met his beseechingly. "I promise you, you'll like them." He sighed, then nodded.  
  
"Alright." He bowed with a mock flourish. "My life is in your hands m'lady." She laughed and pulled him along again. After somehow navigating them through an impassable blackberry thicket, he could hear laughter and the sounds of a fire burning. His grip on her hand tightened briefly causing her laughter once again as she lead him into the light.  
  
Spike sat bolt upright, shocked out of his dream. The laughter of the girl still ringing in his ears. So familiar, but where had he heard it before? He struggled to remember. The dream had seemed so real, almost like a memory. But the laughter...he'd heard it somewhere recently. Where? He tried to shake it off as he lay tentatively back down to sleep.  
  
***  
  
Willow was waiting by Buffy's locker as she got out of class. "So how did you do on the test? I know you haven't had a lot of time to study with slaying and all, but still it was pretty easy." Buffy held up the offending paper.  
  
"Barely passed. And my teacher is getting that worried, maybe I should call home look. Not good. I mean what am I supposed to tell my mom? Sorry couldn't study because I'm saving Sunnydale from a demon menace? Don't think that would go over to well." Willow's face fell, then brightened.   
  
"I know. I'll help you study after school. How does that sound?" Buffy was saved from answering by Xander's timely appearance.   
  
"We're having meatloaf again for lunch. Meatloaf! Can you believe it? I swear there is a conspiracy going on behind the scenes of the Sunnydale High kitchens." Both Willow and Buffy looked at him skeptically. "What? It could happen." A throat cleared behind them and they all jumped.  
  
"Ms. Summers, just the student I was looking for. You have signed up to help out at the Fall Carnival haven't you?" The annoying voice of Principal Snyder asked smugly.   
  
Buffy's heart sank as she turned around. "Actually Principal Snyder, I've been really busy lately, and I'm afraid I won't have the time..." The look of smugness increased.  
  
"Then perhaps I should call your mother and find out what keeps you so busy that you can't study for your classes?" Buffy groaned inwardly. Outwardly she grinned.  
  
"You didn't let me finish. Though I'm extremely busy I'm sure I can make time to help out." Principal Snyder grinned.   
  
"I knew you'd want to help. I'll check the sign up sheet later to see what kind of booth you'll be setting up. I'm sure it will be entertaining." He swaggered off, pleased with himself. Buffy turned to her friends.   
  
"Now what am I going to do? Between Slaying, School, and Sleep, I don't have time for anything else." Xander grinned.   
  
"I've got an idea, but first we have to check that sign up sheet to make sure no one else has already used it." Buffy and Willow followed him mystified to the sheet on a wall by the cafeteria doors. "Nope, no one else has. Anyone got a pen?" Willow handed him one and they both watched as he signed all their names and under the column for what booth wrote fortune telling.  
  
This was just a teaser. I'm not finished writing this chapter yet, but wanted to post since I haven't in soo long. I'll repost it when I do finish. 


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